Carnival Makes Family Cruise Magic Cruising is a great choice for family vacations, especially on ships packed with lots of family-pleasing features. Carnival Cruise Lines' newest ship, the Carnival Magic, aces this test and is clearly one of the best ships for families afloat. Fun-loving family travelers will find vacation nirvana here.
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Magical Family Vacations Aboard the Disney Dream Families who are considering a family cruise vacation should check out the Disney Dream. This new ship is designed specifically for family vacations with kids of all ages. This new ship is a great family travel choice for family vacation fun.
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That's The Spirit: Families Have Fun And Give Back On NCL Family cruises are popular choices for family vacations, but selecting the right ship can be a challenge. The Norwegian Spirit has all of the hallmarks of a great Norwegian Cruise Line ship: lots of restaurants, extensive kids programs, cool nightclubs and lounges, and a marvelous "Freestyle Cruising" program that allows families to do whatever - whenever. In addition, the ship's Western Caribbean itinerary also provides the perfect opportunity to combine a family vacation with voluntourism and community service.
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Cruise Line Minimum Age Policies Cruise lines have strict minimum age policies that apply to infants as well as guests under 21 years of age. These age limitations vary by both cruise line and type of itinerary.
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Rocky Mountaineer Brings Families Together Parents' main family vacation goals are to make family travel memories and reconnect as a family. Family vacations give everyone time to travel to exciting places, share new experiences, and bond together. This is particularly true on an iconic Rocky Mountaineer family vacation in Western Canada's outdoor wonderland.
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A Mother-Daughter Trip to Space (Camp, That Is) My nine year-old daughter, Zoe, is commanding a mission to the International Space Station. I'm her second-in-command, the flight's pilot, so I am in charge of making sure the shuttle arrives and docks safely. It's a tall task, one that takes detailed and precise communication with Mission Control and careful manipulation of all kinds of buttons and levers...
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Be Enchanted On A Short Bermuda Cruise Mid-Atlantic vacationers now have a great new option for family getaways. Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas is based year-round in Baltimore, providing a wide array of exciting cruise itineraries. The ship's five-night Bermuda cruise is a perfect choice for those looking for a quick escape....
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Cruising To Costa Maya Parents are always scouring cruise itineraries to decide which ports are best for their families. Most look for an enticing combination of crystal blue waters and alluring beaches, kid-friendly activities, adventure tours, historic sights, and good shopping. Costa Maya, Mexico has all these things. If Costa Maya isn't a familiar destination, you probably haven't spent a lot of time cruising the Western Caribbean. Believe me – this is one port you won't want to miss.
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Getting Back To Nature On A Multigenerational Ranch Vacation The scent hits you immediately upon reaching the grounds of the Kay El Bar Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona (www.Kayelbar.com), and it's not the aroma of horses, even though those pretty creatures are everywhere.
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Carnival and Carnival Splendor: What's New In the atrium aboard the Carnival Splendor, the line’s newest ship, we’re standing in the back of the crowd, trying to move sideways with a bit of hip hop style as we watch our braver shipmates in the center of the circle tackle a few spins and breaks taught by G-Force. The routines so entrance the crowd that they wait until G-Force finishes before entering the dining room. . . .
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Splashin' It Up at Splash Lagoon – A Two-Family, Four-Kid Adventure The kids could hardly believe their luck: A trip to a water park, and bunking with their best friends, no less! About half an hour into our two-family vacation to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA, we realized that our only issue in enjoying this sliding and swimming adventure – complete with kids aged 9, 8, 7, and 6 – was going to be getting any sleep at all at what was supposed to be a weekend-long slumber party. . . .
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A Family Reunion At Sea The Love Boat is in a family way. Not that the Crown Princess, part of the fleet of ships that starred in the popular television series, doesn’t still have lovers lounging on her moonlit decks, hormonally-manic singles consuming umbrella drinks in the hot tubs or private romantic balcony champagne/lobster dinners for two.  But the cruise line, realizing the increasingly popular trend toward families traveling together (read more)

Annapolis For Families: It's All About Water and History
By Jeff and Stephanie Sylva. Annapolis is an exciting family travel destination, offering lots of activities for the entire family. Home to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis has a lovely waterfront location and a legendary past. Whether you choose to stroll the city's historic streets or cruise the picturesque waterways, Annapolis is a great choice for a weekend getaway or as part of a Washington D.C. family vacation. (read more)

Sea Kayak Adventures Delivers Close Encounters of the Whale Kind
The parade started at sunrise. I was standing on the bluff watching the inlet's colors turn to violet when I heard the first "phoof." A mother California Gray Whale and her baby calf were making their way through the water, less than a stone's throw away. Suddenly, the colors of the sunrise took a backseat to what I was watching before me. Our little group of campers had front row seats for one of the most beautiful and inspiring shows on earth.
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Four-Seasons of Family Fun at Smugglers' Notch, Vermont
Smugglers' Notch Resort is nestled at the base of three interconnected mountains in the heart of northern Vermont's ski country. Yet the Green Mountain hideaway is much more than a family winter playground. Families travel here all year long to experience the homey family-friendly condominium lodging, the festive village atmosphere, the stellar children's and teens' programs, a wide variety of family activities, and the opportunities to get up close and personal with the natural surroundings. It's rare for a family resort to be able to captivate kids of all ages, but Smugglers' does this with ease.
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Be Enchanted On A Short Family Cruise
Are you looking for a family vacation getaway that fits your tight budget and time-crunched schedule? A short cruise on a family-friendly ship may be just the answer. Our family of four took a short cruise recently on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas and came away hooked on the short cruising experience.(click here for more)

Celebrating Special Family Occasions with Memorable Travel Experiences
As any parent of teenagers knows, teens are a tough audience to impress. So when my daughter Amy called her recent Sweet 16 celebration at Woodloch Pines in the Poconos the "best birthday ever," I was feeling pretty proud of myself for picking such a perfect place for a party.(click here for more)

Revitalizing Vacations with Older Children
It's great vacationing with older children. With a 16 year-old and a 23 year-old, we can visit places we never dreamed of traveling to before. While active vacations with kids in this age group can be fun, some of our most travel rewarding experiences have been ones that allowed us to slow down and revitalize our souls…
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Hot Spots: Families Find Vacation Gold at Iberostar Costa Dorada
Some parents like to check into an all-inclusive resort, put their wallet in the safe, and never leave the resort property. Others like to travel to family-friendly resorts where there is an abundance of things to see and do, both on and off the property. Iberostar Costa Dorada, an upscale family-friendly all-inclusive, satisfies both of these visions of the perfect family destination. It's pure family vacation gold, especially for the Type-A family that uses travel as an opportunity to experience and explore… (click here for more)

A Family Reconnects in Paradise
"On your left you'll see Cloud Peak." Maddy giggled in her saddle when Kirk gestured in the fog. After finally winding our way to the top of the mesa above Paradise Guest Ranch in Buffalo, Wyoming we could see … maybe 50 yards. All around us rose the aspen- and ponderosa pine-lined slopes of the Big Horn mountain range we had explored all week, but all we could make out was a cold mist. We didn't care. With a simple kick we were off galloping, and Maddy's face broke into a delirious grin. She was lovin' it and so was I… (click here for more)

How To Afford Your Dream Family Vacation
Ever wonder how your neighbor can vacation like a millionaire on a normal salary? We'll show you how. If you're busy planning your family's next summer vacation, these twelve money-saving tips and insider secrets will save big vacation dollars. ...(click here for more)

ROW Offers "Families Only" Travel Experiences This Summer
If you're looking for a family adventure for this summer's family travel experience, consider a river rafting trip. River rafting trips offer great opportunities for adventure and family bonding, as well as a lifetime of family memories. The best trips are those that combine families, which allows children and parents to share the experience together. Family oriented rafting trips allow kids to travel and bond together on the river, enjoying time together with their family as well as new friends.....(click here for more)

Taking a Do-Good Vacation
Looking for a change of pace for your next vacation? Want to make the world a better place? Try a "Do-Good Vacation", and help a worthy cause. .....(click here for more)

Amelia Island, Florida Combines History, Nature In Beach Setting
I made Florida's Northeast corner my focus, intrigued mainly by the 500-year history of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States and quaint historic districts in St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach. What we found was so much more: sprawling nature preserves; world-class museums; restaurants that ooze with atmosphere and culinary delights; and accommodations that enhance the visitor experience. (click here for more)

The Homestead Resort -- From a Teen's Perspective
This a family-friendly resort throughout. Go horseback riding along miles of scenic trails. Grab a snack or enjoy a gourmet feast the whole family will love. Indulge yourself at their award winning Spa where teens have their own menu of services.... Check it out!(click here for more)

Family Adventures by Karen Rubin
Cybertravel to find the best family destinations..... (click here for more)

Family Eco-Trips
Is your family looking for a different kind of vacation? Would you like to view animals in their natural habitat? Eco-Trips are a great way to get up close and personal with wildlife. (click here for more)

Shenandoah National Park
The Valley stretches 200 miles between the Blue Ridge & Allegheny mountains....(click here for more)


Exploring Yellowstone -- How to Plan a Great Family Visit
Visiting Yellowstone this summer? Whether by foot, hoof, boat or stagecoach, families planning to visit Yellowstone National Park should try to explore the park beyond the drive-up viewpoints. Getting out and exploring gets the kids out of the backseat and helps the park come alive for them...(click here for more)

Take An Epic Miami Family Cruise Vacation Parents are continually looking for family vacations that are fun for the kids and offer an exciting vacation for adults as well. With their new Epic megaship, Norwegian Cruise Line serves up tons of family travel fun for every family member. If you're looking for loads of fun-packed entertainment on your next family vacation, this family cruise option is sure to please.
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Ask KidTravel
In this column, Nancy Schretter, Managing Editor of the Family Travel Network, answers real family vacation questions from some of our readers.
Q. We are planning a summer family beach vacation in August and would like to go somewhere where there aren't going to be any hurricanes. We're looking for a place with a nice beach where we could snorkel and do lots of watersports. Could you give us some recommendations? 
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